Silent Planet
by cojack
Summary: A/TP. Archer and T'Pol discuss the mortality of civilizations after the events that occurred during the season three episode "Extinction"


DISCLAIMER: It's Paramount's galaxy.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: A/TP. Archer and T'Pol discuss the mortality of civilizations after the events that occurred during the season three episode "Extinction"

#

SILENT PLANET

#

Captain Archer felt hungry, although he wasn't certain anything in the mess hall was going to help. His taste buds were still altered somewhat by the Laque'eque mutagenic virus that had transformed him into that species for a short time, and his digestive system was still recovering as well. And then, of course, there were the lesions on various parts of his skin that were still healing and the persistent headache he had to endure. Fortunately, Doctor Phlox's antivirus continued to work on his cells and was returning him ever so slowly to normal. His last meal had been those maggots inside the fruit he had eaten on the planet, and so it didn't matter how he felt, he was going to at least get some other food into his stomach.

Archer shook his head, trying to get the image of the maggot infested fruit out of his mind. He entered the mess hall and picked up a sandwich tray from inside one of the cubbies. There were only a few other crewmembers in the mess and he thought about returning to his quarters to eat it there when he noticed Subcommander T'Pol sitting alone at one of the tables. She was looking into a mug of what he presumed was tea with a slight frown on her face. On the planet, it had been T'Pol who had kept him anchored somewhat. Even when his human physiology and persona were nearly completely suppressed by the virus, he had innately trusted her. Drawn to her and fortunately willing to listen to her counsel. Archer bent over and moved to her table with a slight lurching motion. "Do you know the way to Urquat?" he asked in a thick accent.

T'Pol turned to regard her Captain and raised an eyebrow.

"Urquat?" he asked again, but this time he couldn't help himself and cracked a smile. It was a pursuit that had driven him on the planet. To find the city of Urquat, an imperative planted into his consciousness by the virus. They had eventually found the Laque'eque city, but it was in ruins.

"I'm afraid we are several light years away by now," T'Pol finally responded. Archer felt he could detect a slight uptick in the corners of her lips, however, and so his attempt at humor was not completely lost.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Archer asked in his normal voice as he straightened back up.

T'Pol gestured to the empty seat across from her. "Of course."

"Is something wrong with your tea?" he commented as he sat down. He was thinking of her expression earlier as she regarded the mug.

"Although the virus did not change me as drastically as it did you and the others, it has had an effect. I have a few sores that are still healing and the taste of things have been altered dramatically."

Archer grunted. "I know. I'm hoping both go away soon." He resisted the temptation to itch the lesion on the back of his hand at the mention of those sores. He then took a bite of his sandwich and swallowed it with a grimace. "Have you been applying the Doctor's gel?"

Now T'Pol frowned. "It is a bit… pungent."

Archer nodded. He thought the gel smelled bad, so he could only imagine what it was like for T'Pol with her heightened sense of smell. Archer took another bite, trying to ignore the taste, and swallowed it quickly. Their time on the planet was still on his mind, particularly the extinction of the Laque'eque as a species and how they were here in the Expanse on a misssion to save his own. "Our experience on the planet reminding me of something in a book I read as a kid."

T'Pol looked up expectantly.

"It was an old science fiction novel," Archer continued. "I forget who the author was, but it was written in the early or mid-twentieth century. 'Out of the Silent Planet'. Travelers from Earth go to Mars and find it inhabited by various indigenous species."

"Mars was uninhabited until colonized by Earth earlier this century," T'Pol remarked.

"Yes, but this was written before humanity knew Mars or any of the other planets in our Solar System didn't sustain life. Writers imagined peoples on all the various planets in our system."

"Interesting."

"Anyway, what struck me most was the ruler and inhabitants of Mars knew very well their planet's habitability and civilization were nearing an end. To them, however, it was a natural progression. As with everything else, there was a beginning, a middle, and an end. To individual lives as well as civilizations and species."

"That is logical," T'Pol replied. "The universe itself is mortal, and thus that contained within it is mortal."

Archer laughed and then shook his head. She spoke as if it was a mathematical proof. "I didn't quite feel that way. I remember sympathizing with one of the antagonists in the story. A physicist from Earth who felt it was his duty to ensure humanity survived by going out amongst the stars and colonizing other planets."

"Which humans have done," T'Pol reflected. "Just as with an individual, a species can strive to extend its life by various means."

"I suppose," Archer replied. "Unfortunately, in the story, the physicist intended for humanity to invade Mars first, which didn't go over well."

"Was Mars then the 'Silent Planet'?"

Archer looked down at his tray as he tried to remember the details. It had been many years since he and read or even thought of the story. "No. It was Earth that was the silent planet," he finally said. "Silent, in that the ruler who oversaw Earth had turned evil and lost his connection to the overarching spirit and creator of the universe. To God, essentially." Archer took one more bite of his sandwich. T'Pol's responses weren't exactly what he had expected. To him, seeing a species like the Laque'eque go extinct brought into focus the gravity of their mission to save humanity from the same fate. He decided to get to the point. "And now Earth is threatened by the Xindi," he finally observed. "Humanity's possible extinction. Earth would become a silent planet in a very real sense." The thought left him hollow.

T'Pol suddenly stiffened and then quickly reached across the table and touched Archer's hand. She looked intently into his eyes. "Jonathan, that is the very reason we are here," she said earnestly. "To make sure that doesn't happen. I have confidence in our mission."

Archer nodded. It was what drove him. T'Pol had obviously belatedly realized what Archer was also alluding to. The death of humanity. The extinction of Homo Sapiens in comparison to what had happened to the Laque'eque. Although subdued by human standards, her compassion was clearly evident. He recognized suddenly how thankful he was for T'Pol's presence. On the planet's surface, where his trust in her helped him through the ordeal even though he couldn't even remember who he was, to countless instances on _Enterprise_ , in the Expanse and before. To that very instant. Her concern for both Earth and him personally was important to him. "As for the Laque'eque," he said, still haunted by the experience. "It is a species now gone forever from the Galaxy. Just as with what was going to happen to the civilization on Mars in the story, their civilization and species coming to an end as the planet died. I can't help but feel a sense of loss… and foreboding."

T'Pol reflected on Archer's observations. "I do agree with the author's premise in your story," she finally said. "There is a beginning, a middle, and an end to civilizations and species as there is with life. It is inevitable, and to fool yourself into thinking otherwise is illogical. I point out again, however, the case of humanity facing the Xindi threat is not in any way equivalent to what happened to the Laque'eque. Our mission is noble and just and we will be successful." T'Pol then tilted her head in thought. "And in a sense, as long as the virus they created survives, the Laque'eque are still with us."

That was an interesting thought. Archer placed his sandwich back down into the tray. He realized he wasn't as hungry as he thought, and couldn't quite get used to the taste anyway.

"Your reference to an overarching spirt in your story is also interesting," T'Pol continued. "There are some Vulcans who believe in a katra. A living spirit that is the essence of the mind, its consciousness."

"A soul," Archer said.

T'Pol nodded. "Exactly. It is a belief found in many sentient species throughout the Galaxy, Vulcans and humans included. Whereas civilizations and species are indeed mortal, for the universe cannot last forever, this living spirit is said to be immortal. As in your story, perhaps the connection the individuals on Mars still had to their creator enabled them to face and accept the death of their civilization and species. It might be the Laque'eque are still with us in that way too."

Archer rubbed his chin in thought. "Do you believe in this living spirit?"

Now T'Pol was thoughtful. "As a scientist, I have seen no conclusive evidence one way or the other," she said hesitantly. "It seems to me, however, it would be impossible to measure and quantify the salient aspects of a katra that by its immortal nature resides outside the mortality of the universe. If pressed, I might say no, but I cannot discount the possibility." A true scientist, but one who also recognized the limitations of science. "What do you believe?" she asked after a pause.

Whether she was trying to or not, he was cheered up a bit by their conversation. He got the sense it was something she wished to talk about as well. She seemed a bit more animated than when he first arrived. What were his thoughts about the soul that he could share with her? Before he could respond, the comm in the mess hall sounded. " _Doctor Phlox to Captain Archer_."

Archer stood up and moved to the nearest panel and pressed the reply button. "Go ahead."

" _Captain, could you stop by sickbay when you get a chance_."

Archer glanced back to T'Pol. She had also stood, evidentially deciding to leave her tea for another day. He supposed their continued discussion would have to wait for another day as well. "I'll be right there," he said into the comm, slightly disappointed.

T'Pol stepped up beside Archer. "Captain, Ensign Sato was feeling ill and so I suggested she rest in her quarters. With your permission, I would like to do the same."

That was a first. T'Pol asking for some time off. He suddenly noticed the slight slump in her posture. She must have been affected by the mutagenic virus to a greater degree than he had supposed. Archer nodded. After seeing the Doctor in sickbay, he planned to get some rest too. "I'll see you in the morning then."

"Perhaps our breakfast will be more palatable," T'Pol observed. That would be nice. And perhaps they could pick up where they left off. They both left the mess hall and set off in opposite directions.

As he entered sickbay, Lieutenant Reed was just turning from Doctor Phlox and getting ready to exit. "How are you feeling, Lieutenant?" Archer asked, although from Reed's appearance he could very well guess.

Reed attempted to smile. "Not bad, sir. How about yourself?"

"Getting there," Archer replied. He imagined he looked just about as bad as his armory officer, and felt about the same way. "Hoshi and T'Pol are going to take the day off. You might want to do the same," he suggested.

Reed immediately relaxed. "Thank you, Captain. I could use a little rest." He left sickbay slowly, presumably to return to his quarters.

Archer turned to face the Doctor. "You wanted to see me?"

Doctor Phlox was solemn. He was holding a cylinder and held it up for Archer to see. "This is the last of the mutagenic virus," he said. "I assume you want me to destroy it."

Archer was reminded of his recent conversation with T'Pol. He examined the cylinder more closely and then replied, "No."

"Captain," Phlox protested. "You experienced first-hand what this pathogen can do."

"Those containment patrols aren't going to stop until they've wiped out every trace of it. Now that they have your antivirus, they'll most likely figure out a way to succeed."

Phlox nodded. "Considering the alternatives, that would be best."

Archer reached out and took the vial from Phlox's hand. "This was created as a final effort to preserve a civilization, a people. That species we became, they cease to exist the moment this virus is gone." A silent planet in a very real and mortal sense. Or was it the other way around as T'Pol had suggested?

Phlox was confused. "Captain."

"We came out here to stop the Xindi from destroying humanity. I'll be damned if I'm going to have a hand in destroying another race in the process. Put it on ice, Doc, in stasis, whatever. Understood?"

Phlox nodded and Archer turned to leave. It was time for him to get some rest as well. His conversation with T'Pol, the mortality of civilizations and species and the possible immortality of katras and souls danced in his thoughts.

#

THE END

Author's note: C.S. Lewis's "space trilogy", the first book referenced in this story, are fascinating to read and I highly recommend them. My favorite is the second book of the series – "Perelandra." The final book is "That Hideous Strength."

The third season is problematic for any A/TP romance, but I think throughout the series there was always the undercurrent of an A/TP friendship and bond and I tried to highlight that here. Hope you enjoyed.


End file.
